THE MINERAL INDUSTRY OF ALASKA 85 ' Revised.' Excludes itinerant prospectors,
"snipers," "highgraders," and others who gave no evidence of legal rightto
property. 
 
feet of the shaft, the company was able to seal off the incoming water. 
 By yearend, Kennecott had invested more than $10 million in the Ruby Creek
dçposit; property acquisition, logistics, or exploration had been
underway since 1956. 
 
 Gold.—In spite of the attention focussed on gold due to the monetary
and fiscal problems of the Nation, the amount and value of Alaska's gold
output again declined. The value of production, $803,000, was 16 percent
less than that of 1966. For the first time since annual production records
were kept, the State had no lode gold output of record. Tabulations lump
the years 1882 to 1905; from 1905 on, annual figures are available. 
 Placer production continued its almost unbroken decline since the industry's
re 
covery from World War II limitations and restraints. In 1941, Alaska placer
output had been 542,000 troy ounces. By 1945 the figure had slipped to 57,700.
Peaking at 276,000 ounces in 1950, output had shown a steep declining trend
from 1950 to 1967 with the exception of 1962 when high values encountered
in the winding-up process of a major operation caused a temporary reversal.
The 1967 output was less than 10 percent of the 1950 recovery high and only
4 percent of the 1940 figure. 
 Nor was the future outlook favorable. United States Smelting, Refining and
Mining Co., the only major gold dredge operator left in the State, stated
in its 1967 annual report to stockholders that "normal operating conditions
and costs were experienced at both Hogatza and Chicken 
 
Table 10.—Mine production of gold, silver, and other metals,' in terms
of recoverable 
metals 2 
Year 
Mines producing 
— 
Material Gold (lode a sold or —__________ 
 treated Troy 
(Short tons) ounces 
nd placer) 
 
Lode Placer 
 
 
 
 
 
Value 
(thousands) 
1963                       
1964                       
1965                       
1966                       
1967                       
 4 72 4 87 6 69 4 55 W 50 
 914 99,573 2,493 58,416 3,305 42,249 7,346 27,325 W 22,948 
$3,485 
2,045 
1,479 
 956 
 803 
 
Silver (lode and placer) 
Other 
 ———————~— 
Short Value 
tons (thousands) 
Total value (thousands) 
1963                       
1964                       
1965                       
1966                       
Troy Value 
ounces (thousands) 
 
 
 
 14,010 $18 7,336 9 7,673 10 7,193 9 
 —— 5 $1 11 7 41 26 W W 
$3,504 
2,061 
1,515 
 965 
1967                       
 5,787 9 
W W 
812 
 W Withheld to avoid disclosing individual company confidential data. 
 ' Includes copper, lead, and zinc produced. 
 2 Includes recoverable metal content of gravel washed (placer operations),
ore milled, old tailings or slimes retreated, and ore shipped to smelters
during calendar year indicated. 
 Does not include gravel washed. 
 
Table 11.—Placer production of gold 
Year 
Mines 
pro- 
ducing' 
Material 
treated 
(thousand 
cubic 
yards) 
 
Gold recovered 
— Value 
 —— Average value per cubic yard 
 
 
 
Troy ounces 
 
 
1963                      
1964                      
1965                      
72 
87 
69 
6,265 
3,313 
1,785 
98,362 
56,284 
38,686 
$3,442,670 
1,969,940 
1,354,010 
$0.549 
.595 
.758 
1966                      
1967                      
55 
50 
r 7,805 
1,888 
26,532 
22,948 
928,620 
803,180 
.119 
.425